Method of making tubular articles provided with diaphragms.



PATENTED 0124, 190s.-

7 JP. SNEDDONV METHOD OF MAKING TUBULAR ARTICLES PROVIDED WITHDIAP-HRAGMS.

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No. 745,254. I PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903.

J. P. SNEDDON'. v v METHOD OF MAKING TUBULAR ARTICLES PROVIDED WITHDI'AP'H'RAGMS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB, 14, 1603 N0 MODEL. 2 sums-sum 2.

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r 4 Ill ll MP W 4 UNITED STATES teamed November 24, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES P. SNEDDON, OF BARBERTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE STIRLING COMPANY,OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

METHOD OF MAKING TUBULAR ARTICLES PROVIDED WITH DIAPHRAGMS SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent N 0. 745,254, dated November 24, 1903.

Application filed February 14,1903. serial No.143,350. (N0 model.)

phragms and I do hereby declare the followin g to be a full, clear, andthereof.

My invention relates to a method of forming exact description hollow ortubular metal articles of irregular 1 outline longitudinally andprovided with a diaphragm, such as serpentine boiler-headers and thelike.

The object of my invention is to provide a method of producing sucharticles wherein the tube is first formed to the desired shape beforethe diaphragm is inserted and secured therein, so that said diaphragmwill not be subjected to the heats necessary in shaping the header orother tubular article.

In my Patent No. 693,174, granted February 11, 1902, is described andclaimed a method of making hollow or tubular articles, such'asserpentine boiler-headers and the like, provided with a longitudinaldiaphragm, said method consisting in supporting the shaped diaphragmlongitudinally within the tube and then pressing the walls of the latterdown against the edges of the diaphragm, thereby shaping the tubulararticle and also causing the edges of the diaphragm to become embeddedin the walls of the tube, so that it isheld in place. In the manufactureof such articles, especially when used for headers for steamboilers, itis necessary after shaping the same to form holes in the fiat side wallsof the header and then turn the metal around these holes outwardly toform flanges for the purpose of providing proper seats for thewatertubes. During the fianging operation it is usually necessary toreheat the header twice, once for flanging the holes on one side andagain for flanging the holes on the opposite side. These reheati'n gsnecessarily affect the diaphragm, and in case the latter is very thin itis liable to warp, buckle, or be otherwise detrimentally affected.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method of makingsuch tubular articles and inserting the diaphragm therein whereby v thuscausing it to shrink down onto the edges of the diaphragm to firmly bindthe same in place.

The invention also comprises the swaging down of the walls of the tubeonto the edges of the diaphragm to further assist in securing thediaphragm firmly in place.

The accompanying drawings show diagrammatically the various steps offorming a serpentine boiler-header according to my meth 0d, and in saiddrawings- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a round tube having a neckformed at one end. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the tube after beingbrought to square or rectangular form. Fig. 3 is aview of the tube afterhaving been corrugated or brought to serpentine form. Fig. 4 illustratesthe step of flanging the holes in the side walls of the header. Fig. 5illustrates the step of inserting the diaphragm and forcing it intoposition, and Fig. 6 illustrates the manner of swaging the Walls downonto the edges of the diaphragm.

In carrying out my invention the header or other'tubular article ofirregular outline longitudinally may be formed in any desired waypreparatory to having the diaphragm placed therein; but in the making ofserpentine boiler-headers, such as 'shown in the drawings, the preferredmethod of procedure is to start with either a round tube 1, asshown inFig. 1, or with a square tube 2, such as shown in Fig. 2, depending uponwhich particular tube can be more readily obtained in the open market.The first step is to swage down the end of the tube to form the neck 3,this being done in any convenient way and by any convenient means, suchas concave hammer-dies.

If a round tube is used, it will after swaging down the neck be squaredor brought to the rectangular form, as shown in Fig. 2, and this steplikewise may be performed in any suitable way or by any suitableapparatus, preferably by inserting in the tube a suitable mandrel andthen squeezing 'the tube down onto the same by suitable pressure-platensoperated by a hydraulic press. For both of these stepsnamely, formingthe neck and squaring-the tube will be heated to the proper workingtemperature.

The next step in the process is to provide the tube with the desiredirregular configuration longitudinally, and in making corru gated orserpentine boiler-headers this consists in forming corrugations 4 in twoopposite walls of the rectangular tube, and this likewise may be done byany apparatus suitable for this purpose, several forms of which are wellknown to persons skilled in this art. Preferably the corrugations in theopposite faces will be alternately arranged, as shown, so as to give tothe tube a staggered or serpentine shape. For this step of the processalso the tube must be heated to the proper working temperature. Afterthe tube has been given the proper irregular shape longitudinally thenecessary holes for the water-tubes are bored in the two flat wallsthereof, after which the metal surrounding said holes must be turned outto form flanges in order to provide seats for the water-tubes. ThisHanging can be done in any suitable way and in any suitable apparatus,but preferably by apparatus such as illustrated in Fig. 4, wherein thetube is supported 011 a suitable anvil or die 6, having holes orrecesses 7 therein corresponding in number, dimensions, and position tothe holes in the header. The flanging is done by forcing through theholes in the header-walls, when thus supported, a suitable implement orprojectile 8, which may be either a sphere, half-sphere, section ofellipse, section of cone, or other suitable shape, but which forconvenience of illustration is shown as a sphere. This implement orprojectile is forced through the holes in the header-wall by means of asuitable plunger 9, which may be actuated in any suitable way, or, viceversa, the plunger may be held stationary and the anvil or dietactuated. In either event the projectile is forced through the openingin the lower wall of the tube and turns the metal surrounding saidopening outward to form a flange, as shown. In the preferred manner ofcarrying on-this step the anvil or bed 6 will be formed of sufiicientlength to accommodate the entire header, and a series of projectiles 8will be employed corresponding in number to the holes in the lower wallof the header, while a corresponding series of punches will be used forforcing all of said balls simultaneously through the holes in theheader-wall, thus flanging all of the holes in one of the walls of theheader at a single operation. This operation will then be repeated onthe holes in the opposite header-wall. For this flanging step the headermust be raised to a good forging heat, and generally it will be foundnecessary to heat the same twice, once for flanging the holes on oneside and again for flanging the holes on the opposite side. The headeris now ready for the insertion of the diaphragm.

It will be understood that while the foregoing description appliesentirelyto the manufacture of the specific article shown-a serpentinewrought-metal header-theinvention is not limited thereto, but is equallyapplicable to the manufacture of various other tubular articles ofirregular outline longitudinally and provided with a diaphragm. Thespecific steps so far described, however, may not all be necessary forthe formation of articles other than boiler-headers, and it will beunderstood that the only essential step so far described is forming thewrought-iron tube into the desired irregular shape longitudinally,whatever that shape may be, preparatoryto the application of adiaphragm. In all cases, however, all of the shaping of the tube whichrequires a heating thereof will be completed prior to the insertion ofthe diaphragm, so that the latter will not be detrimentally aifected bythe heatin gs necessary in the shaping of the tube.

The diaphragm is first properly shaped, being formed approxi matelyofthe same shape as the interior of the tubular article, and in thespecific article shown in the drawings the diaphragm 10 will be formedwith wavy or serpentine edges. The shaped tube isthen again reheated andthe diaphragm inserted therein and properly positioned, after which thetube is permitted to cool, thus shrinking down into the edges of thediaphragm and firmly securing the latter in place. To secure the bestresults, it is necessary for the diaphragm to fit fairly tight in thehot or expanded tube. In order to bring such atightfitting diaphragminto proper position, preferably the mode of procedure illustrated inFig. 5 is employed. In this the diaphragm is placed in the tube in atransversely-inclined position, with both edges thereof resting againstthe walls of the tube. A suitable support is then placed in the tubeunderneath the diaphragm, said support preferably consisting of a pairof parallel bars 11 of such a height that when the diaphragm is forceddown upon the same it will be the proper distance from the lower wall ofthe tube and parallel thereto. The lower edge of the diaphragm,preferably, will rest upon one of these parallel bars. By means ofsuitable pins or other tools inserted through the holes in the upperwall of the diaphragm the elevated edge of the diaphragm is driven downinto place, as indicated in Fig. 5, until the diaphragm rests upon theparallel bars, after which the latter are withdrawn. This results inwedging the diaphragm firmly between the two opposite corrugated wallsof ITO the hot tube, and as the latter cools and shrinks it naturallybinds on the edges of the diaphragm with sufficient firmness to hold thelatter in position. If the edges of the dia-v phragm have beenaccurately shaped with reference to the shape of the tubular article,practically a tight joint will be formed between the same and the wallsof the tube. To further assist, however, in securing the diaphragm inplace and form a tight joint between the same and the walls of the tube,it is preferred to swage the corrugated walls of the latter down, uponthe edges of the diaphragm. This can be done by any suitable tool-such,for instance, as the sledge or swage 12 shown in Fig. 6and preferablythis swaging will be done mostly in the concave depressions of thecorrugated walls, thus driving the metal of these portions down into theconcave portions of theedges of the diaphragm.

As a result of the method described the shaped diaphragm will be firmlyheld in the header or other tubular article and will form practically atight joint with the walls thereof. Furthermore, the tubular articlehaving first been given the desired shape need not be reheated after thediaphragm has been applied thereto, so that the diaphragm, even thoughcomposed of thin metal, will not buckle, warp, or be otherwisedetrimentally affected.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The method of forming wrought-metal tubular articles of irregularoutline longitudinally and provided with a longitudinal diaphragm, whichconsists in forming a wroughtiron tube into the desired irregular shapelongitudinally, thereafter heating the same, inserting thereinadiaphragm shaped to correspond to the irregular shape of the tube,

and then permitting the tube to cool and shrink onto the edges of thediaphragm.

2. The method of forming wrought-metal tubular articles of irregularoutline longitudinally and provided with a longitudinal diaphragm, whichconsists in forming a wroughtiron tube into the desired irregular shapelongitudinally, thereafter heating the same, inserting therein adiaphragm shaped to correspond to the irregular outline of the tube, andthen swaging portions of the walls of the tube down onto the edges ofthe diaphragm.

3. The method of forming wrought-metal tubular articles of irregularoutline longitudinally and provided with a longitudinal diaphragm, whichconsists in forming a wroughtiron tube into the desired irregular shapelongitudinally, thereafter heating the same, taking a diaphragm shapedto correspond to the irregular outline of the tube and inserting thesame in the heated tube in a transversely-inclined position with oneedge thereof substantially in proper position,,forcing down the otheredge thereof to bring the diaphragm into proper position, and thenpermitting the tube to cool and shrink onto the edges of the diaphragm.

4. The method 'of forming wrought-metal tubular articles provided withtransverse corrugations and with a longitudinal diaphragm, whichconsists in forming a wrought-iron tube with transverse corrugations,thereafter heating the same, inserting therein a diaphragm havingcorrugated or wavy edges, and then swaging the walls of the tube downinto the depressed or concave portions of the edges of said diaphragmand permitting the tube to cool whereby it will shrink down onto theedges of the diaphragm.

5. The method of forming wrought-metal boiler-headers provided with alongitudinal diaphragm, which consists in forming a wrought-iron tubeinto the desired shape, forming holes in opposite side walls thereof,

fianging the metal around said holes, then reheating said header,inserting therein a diaphragm shaped to correspond to the outline of theheader, and then permitting the header to cool whereby it will shrinkdown onto the edges of the diaphragm.

In testimony whereofL-the said JAMES P. SNEDDON, have hereunto set myhand.

JAMES P. SNEDDQN. Witnesses:

E. E. BAKER, J. O. FRANK.

